Vanilla and raspberry baguette in the "Tropézienne" style

If you don't know the Tarte Tropézienne, I'm going to introduce you to one of the most French creations in pâtisserie. If you do know it, you'll know it's an authentic delight. And with this recipe for Vanilla and Raspberry Baguette in the "Tropézienne" style, we wanted to give it a twist and present it in bar form with a different filling. A perfect option for an afternoon snack or breakfast. Although I won't lie to you, any time is a good time to indulge in this marvel!

You can find the recipe for the original tart, along with its full history, on the blog. This soft brioche filled with cream is a wonderful invention by a Polish pastry chef; but, curiously, it owes its name to the timely suggestion by Brigitte Bardot. The actress tried it during a shoot in Saint Tropez and was smitten by such a delight. The rest of the story, as well as the original tart's preparation, is here.

Before sharing the recipe, I'd like to highlight a few details that, in my opinion, are fundamental in brioche preparation. First, you must give proper importance to the dough resting times, because they greatly affect the final result and we want a fluffy brioche. Second, the baking surface and, in this case, the De Buyer perforated baguette tray is a top ally. In less time we'll have brioche loaves perfectly cooked, evenly done and without a soggy base.

And now, here is the recipe for these Vanilla and Raspberry Baguettes in the "Tropézienne" style. Enjoy!

Below you'll find the video and step-by-step instructions to make these homemade filled baguettes:

Ingredients

For the brioche:

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 110 g whole milk
• 35 g sugar
• 5 g salt
• 1 egg
• 10 g baker's yeast (fresh)
• 50 g butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• Pearl sugar

For the diplomat cream:

• 250 g whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 egg yolks
• 60 g sugar
• 25 g cornstarch
• 25 g butter
• 1 sheet of gelatin
• 250 g heavy cream (minimum 30% fat)

For the syrup to soak the brioche:

• 50 g water
• 50 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom water

For assembly:

• Raspberries

Method

1) Brioche preparation

1. Attach the dough hook to your KitchenAid mixer and put the flour, sugar, salt and crumbled yeast into the mixing bowl. Mix lightly and, without stopping the mixer, add the eggs, milk and orange blossom water. Mix for about 5 minutes at medium speed.
2. Add the butter and continue kneading for another 10 minutes.
3. Stop the mixer, cover the dough with a cloth without removing it from the bowl, and let it rest until it triples in volume (approximately one and a half hours). You can place it inside the turned-off oven or in a spot in the kitchen free of drafts.
4. After the time has passed, deflate the dough with your fists (without removing it from the bowl) and place it in the fridge for half an hour.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into three portions, roughly the same weight. With each portion, shape a baguette and place them on the De Buyer perforated baguette tray. Cover the baguettes with a cloth and let them rest for half an hour.
6. Using the De Buyer pastry brush, brush the baguettes with egg yolk and sprinkle pearl sugar on top.
7. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 °C.
8. When done, let them cool on a rack.

2) Diplomat cream preparation

1. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, without cutting all the way through, and scrape out the seeds.
2. Put the milk in a saucepan along with the vanilla seeds and pod, and heat until it boils.
3. Place the gelatin in a bowl with cold water to hydrate it.
4. Put the cream in the mixer bowl and reserve it in the fridge.
5. While the milk heats, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.
6. When the milk starts to boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the previous mixture (yolks, sugar and cornstarch), stirring to combine everything.
7. Once combined, return it to the saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and add the drained gelatin and the butter. Stir to fully incorporate and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
9. Take the cream out of the fridge and whip it with the beaters. Whip until it takes on a matte tone.
10. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream, mixing gently until incorporated. It should be a homogeneous mixture. Put the cream into a piping bag or into the Le Tube De Buyer pressure gun.

3) Assembly of the Tropézienne baguettes

1. Prepare a light syrup by heating the water with the sugar. When ready, add the orange blossom water.
2. Slice the baguettes in half, like a sandwich, and brush the interior of both halves with the syrup using the pastry brush.
3. Spread the cream over one of the halves of each brioche and place the raspberries on top.
4. Place the other half of the brioche and present the baguettes on a nice tray or directly on each diner's plate. Enjoy!

Notes

• Although we used raspberries this time, you can use the fruits you prefer: strawberries, pineapple, mango or chopped kiwi, pear or some blueberries. Whatever you like!
• This diplomat cream is a true delight, but you can also fill the baguettes with chocolate ganache, whipped cream or almond cream.
• Besides forming baguettes with the brioche dough, you can shape them into buns or mini baguettes. They'll be perfect to accompany your afternoon coffee or tea!